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Marketers today need all of their channels working hard. Traditionally each channel has been ascribed a specific objective in the marketing funnel—to build brand value, to engage deeply or to drive action. Rarely has any one channel been tasked with, or credited for, doing it all.
Well, audio does. Full-funnel audio—a triple threat of local broadcast radio, podcasts and digital streaming—delivers on every marketing objective. No competing platform can come close.
Brands have always valued audio for its massive reach and building brand awareness, but today’s audio offers so much more. According to a recent global marketers survey, 61% of marketers say improving media performance is a top priority. Full-funnel audio offers a new pathway; it is effective, measurable, efficient and nimble. And it delivers throughout the consumer buying journey.
Audio moves the needle at every point in the funnel
Full-funnel audio gets results at every stage of the funnel from driving awareness, and consideration, to delivering kick-butt-and-take-names performance driving purchase. Is it time for marketers and media agencies to give audio a fresh look (and listen)? Let’s compare results and find out.
According to Nielsen's Commspoint Influence, audio drives 45% of listeners to purchase–higher than TV, social, video and the rest. Audio steals the show, overshadowing the competition across the funnel lifecycle.
Radio isn’t just a top-funnel play to grab attention, and podcasts aren’t niche experimental buys. Audio platforms are the real deal, outperforming media darlings like social media and digital ads when it comes to the metrics that matter most: driving purchase.
Here’s a secret to audio’s success: In a sea of one-to-many media, audio is a personalized, intimate experience different for every listener. Audio is portable and mobile, customizable and local. Listeners take audio on their daily journeys, creating moments for brands to reach them through upper, middle and lower funnel exposures.
Even better, multiplatform audio now delivers a larger audience than linear TV, a seismic shift in habits and rituals. Americans may be cutting the cord, but they’re faithful to audio¹.
With precise audience segmenting, brands can even target their ads by activity, purchase history, hobbies and ZIP codes. Once listeners are exposed, their journey can be measured. If they visit a store or website, we can see it. Suddenly, audio’s efficiency and reach are turbo-charged with precision. Audio can hit conversion goals out of the park.
New Balance sees killer ROAS with TWO WXY v3 sneaker campaign
Being able to optimize campaigns and measure attributed revenue is the pinnacle of using audio as a full-funnel channel. New Balance and the Mediahub agency put together a targeted podcast campaign that saw online sales skyrocket.
When New Balance wanted to boost awareness and track sales of the new TWO WXY v3 basketball sneakers, they turned to Audacy.
New Balance relied on a campaign with spots on our Sports Podcast Network as the brand that gives athletes and trendsetters the edge on and off the court. And most importantly, online orders surged. The campaign delivered on awareness and sales, resulting in a 342% return on ad spend.
“New Balance continues to focus on a full-funnel marketing approach,” said Jacqueline Davis, media supervisor at Mediahub. “By leaning into Audacy's audio platform, podcasting portfolio and sports talent, we had the opportunity to authentically connect and engage with listeners to drive desirability, consideration and ultimately sales for a new product line.”
New Balance’s success is a window into audio’s superpowers. Untethered from screens, listeners can consume audio where and when they want. It’s hands- and eyes-free. We can listen to the latest true crime podcast while cooking dinner, and catch our favorite tunes while we walk the dog, mow the lawn or listen to the big game. No other media can offer that.
The best-kept secret in media
Audio marketing is motivating nearly half of listeners to buy their products, more than any other media channel. Even more staggering, one-third of all media time is spent with audio, and yet total audio accounts for just 9% of ad dollars in media plans, according to WARC².
AM/FM radio, podcasts, and streaming audio are proven winners in building awareness, driving purchase consideration, building preferences and creating action. Bundling full-funnel audio turbocharges your campaign and delivers real results. More than any other media, it moves the needle at every step of the game. If brands shift a portion of their media dollars to full-funnel audio, they’ll see measurable results. Don’t just take our word for it. Take a trip on the audio funnel journey today with our latest State of Audio guide.
